Grinding mill



Oct. 1, 1929.

W. A. SEYMOUR GRINDING MILL 4 sheets-sheet Filed Nov. 3, 1927 INVENTOR JWZZ fil gmoafl ATTORNEY Oct. 1, 1929. w. A. SEYMOUR V 1,730,300

GRINDING MILL Filed Nov. 3, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Oct. 1, 1929. w SEYMOUR 1,730,300

GRINDING MILL Filed Nov- 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 F35. qi-

TI -H Qct. 1, 1929. w, A SEYMOUR 1,730,300

. GRINDING MILL Filed Nov. 5, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR 7%22. A. Segmaur.

* ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 1, I 1929 WILLIAM ALEXANDER SEYMOUR, OF LEAVENVVOR-TH, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE .HES SE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF LEAVENWORTH KANSAS GRINDING MILL Application filed November 3, 1927. Serial No. 230,831.

The invention generally relates to grinding mills of the type wherein the grinding action is accomplished by whirling hammers I coacting with -stationaryplatesor the like and primarily has for its object to provide certain new and useful improvements in such mill structures by the employment of which the grinding or pulverizing action is more conveniently and efiiciently accomplished than has heretofore been possible and which may be readily adapted to the specific needs of the user of the mill from the standpoint of grinding capacity or output, or of the power available.

In its more detailed nature the invention resides in the provision of certain new and use ful improvements in the grinding hammers and flexible means to mount them to automatically present fresh cuttingedges to the work as needed, of improved means to deliver the grain or other material to the grinding elements and free it from foreign matter and dbris, of an improved cooperative arrangement of the stationary plates and screen with the whirling hammers to assure smooth and complete grinding, of improved means to removably mount the screen in proper position, of removable pans whereby access to the interior of the mill beneath-the screen may readily be had, and of a blower fan mechanism to deliver the ground material from the mill including a removable wear lining.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, my invention consists in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description, then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side View of the mill.

Figure 2 is a rear end View. of the mill.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 33 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line. 44 on Figure 2.

or hamperspective view of a i I Figure 12 is an edge view of one of the star plates.

Figure 13 is a detail vertical section taken through the blower fan housing and illus trating the same equipped with a removable wear, liner.

Figure 14 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section of one of the hammers.

In the drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures,

1 designates a pair of side castings which include mounting feet 2 by which the mill may be secured upon a supporting floor if desired. Adjacent the lower end of the castings 1 a trough-like bottom member 3 is secured as at 4.

The side castings are provided with aligning grooveways 5 to receive the front and rear slide pans 6 and 7 respectively each of which comprises a metal sheet slidable in the groovewaysand a reinforcing backplate of veneer or the like, see Figures 6 and 7.

The pans 6 and 7 are each equipped with a handle 8 by which they may be conveniently manipulated to insert them into or remove them from the grooveways 5 and the rear pan 7 is provided with an over-hanging lip 9 which aids in closing the opening between the said pan and the rear baffleplate 10 whichmay have its inner surface corrugated as at. 11. The baffle plate '10 is provided with a mounting flange which aids the lip 9 in closing the space referred to and to serve as a mounting means for the screen hereinafter referred to. i

The'front pan 6 is provided with a hinged flap 12 along its upper edge which is adjustable to'control the air opening between the said pan and the front bafiieplate 13 which is secured as at 14 to the castings 1. The flap 12 is hinged to the upper edge of the pan 6 and its free end is connected to a pair of slotted links which cooperate with the wing nut 16 mounted on the castings sides in securing the said flap to adjusted positions, see

' Figures 1 and 4. By adjusting the degree'of ground materialpassing screen 19 from the lower ground material receiving compartment 20'.

The screen 19 is in the nature of an arcuate sector and, to suitably mount the same, it is provided at one end with a mounting flange which is bolted as at 22 to the mounting" flange of the rear baflie plate 10 hereinbefore referred-to, and at its other end with a hook edge 23 adapted to' be removably received in the'trough-like member 24 secured along the lower front edge of the bafiie plate 13. Thus the screen 19 is removably carried by the baffie plates 10 and 13 and by removingthe rear slide pan 7 and the securing bolts 22 the screen may easily be manipulated to release its hook edge 23 and withdrawn through the space normally closed by the said pan 7 without disturbing the remainder of the mecha-' nism "of the mill. I

A header plate 25 is secured acrossthe upper edges of the castings 1 and is provided with a downwardly directed grain or other material passing opening 26 through which the material is fed from the delivery or feeder housing 27 mounted upon the feed plate as indicated inFigures 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings. The materialis fed into the head 27 through areceiving hppper' 28 carried thereby. v

In and just beneath the opening 26 in the header plate 25 a baflle pan 29 is mounted and serves to divert the material fed through the opening rearwardly away from the grinding compartment or chamber 18 into the air intake and metal catching compartmen t 30 provided in the housing member 31. Another catching or baflie pan32 is hingedly mounted in the housing as at 33 spaced a distance beneath the pan 29. The angle of inclination of the pan 32 downwardly rearwardly into the compartment 30 is adjustable through the slotted link and-wing nut connection 34. At the lower end the housing 31 terminates in a metal catching bin 35 provided with a hinged discharge door 36 through which the metal bits or other refuse extracted from the grain or other material pass'ingfinto the chamber 18 and deposited into. the bin 35 may be corweniently discharged'atintervals.

*A cross shaft 37 passes through-the housing 27 and 'a second cross shaft 38 passes through the said housing in advance of the housing-and to'assure smooth and even de-v livery of the feed material to the opening 26. A main or grinder shaft 40 is provided and includes a squared central portion 41, right and left hand threaded portions 42 one at each termination of-the saidsquared portion, and reduced extensions 43 each terminating in a thr aded end 44. The extensions 43 of the shaf are rotatablein suitable bearings l 45 carrie by, the bearing plates 46 secured at 47 to the side castings 1, and serve to mount the said shaft transversely of, and substan- 3 tially 1 8. a I

1 The dust rings 48 are provided in the plates 46 to engage the shaft and prevcnt pulverized material passing out between the shaft and the said plates toward the bearings and the said bearings are provided With similar oil keeper rings 49.

At one end the shaft 40 is provided with a main drive pulley 50 keyed thereto as at 51 and secured to position by the nut 52 thread- 2 ed on the threaded portion 44 at that par- 4 ticular end of the shaft.

Adjacent its other end the shaft 40 has secured thereupon a worm 53 which is encased in a two-part housing 54 carried, with the shaft hearing at that end, by one of the 'removable plates 46. The worm 53 meshes with a worm 'wheel 55 secured on a shaft 56 having hearing at 57 in the encasing housing 54 in the center of, the grinding chamber bne end of the shaft 56 extends beyond the end which carries the pulley 59 a crank 61 is v On the end of the shaft 37 opposite the secured and is pivotally connected at 62 to a rocker arin63 which is in turn pivoted at one end ona cross shaft 64 mounted in bearingsj 65 projected'from' the delivery housing 27.

A slide member 66 is carried by the arm 63 and is provided with. a pin 67 and is adjustable'along the said arm through the medium of the screw 68. By manipulation of the screw v68 the distance of the crank pin 67 from the rocking axis'64 maybe varied at will. v

Link arms 69 arepivoted 'upon a projectedend of the cross shaft 38 and carry pawls at their free ends to engage the periphery of the ratchet wheel 71 secured upon the said cross shaft and which serve, when rocked by the links 72 connec ed thereto and to the crank pin 67, to oscillate and impart rotation to the pawls 70 will be caused to becomeactive and impart rotation to the ratchet wheel 71 while the other pawl moves freely over its surface.

On each return movement ofthe rocker arm 63 the formerly free moving pawl'will be come active for the purpose stated and the formerly active pawl will move freely over the ratchet periphery.

To efliciently carry on the grinding action in the chamber 18 in cooperation with the, baffle plates 10 and 13 and the screen 19, I

provide a new and novel construction of grinder and in this construction I employ a plurality of star plates 73 arranged in 00- operative parallel pairs along the squared portion 41 of the main shaft 40, the said plates being provided with square apertures 74 to fit over the said shaft section and cause the same to rotate with the-shaft without the necessity of employing keys or other securing means. It will be observed by reference to Figures 3, 10 and 11 that the apertures of alternate pairs of the plates 7 3 are turned one eighth turn relatively to those between which they are mounted so as to stagger the projection of the projecting arms of the said star plates. The projecting arms of the star plates are apertured at 7 5 to receive the cross pins 76, on each of which one end of the carrying link' (hammer arm) 77 is pivotally mounted, each said link being similarly apertured at 78 at its other or free end to pivotally or rotatably receive a cross pin 79.

Each cross pin 79 has weldedthereon, one

73, will assume the radial positions indicated" in Figure 4, causing the cutting edges of the hammer heads 80 to travel in an orbital path or circle indicated at 81. By rotat-ably mounting the star hammer heads 80 on fixed axis at the ends of the links 77, the said heads may rotate during t 1e cuttingaction and by action of centrifugi force always present the heaviest, i. e., the sharpest side or cutting edge thereof, toward the work, always assuring an efficient cutting edge so long as any of the-star points are sharp.

It will be observed by reference to Figure 4 of the drawings that the baflle plates 10 and 13 and the screen 19 are so cooperatively positioned relative to the travelling cutting elements and the grinding circle 81 that a gradually decreasing grinding space is provided withthe bafiie plate 13 and the grinding cir cle 81 which reaches its maximum constriction at the lowermost edge of the said bafile plate as at 82. The said baffle plate 13 is offset inwardly of the connected end of the screen 19 so that, as the said plate terminates, the grinding space between the grinding circle and the said screen end is abruptly widened as at-83. From the point justbeneath the battle plate 13 the grinding space again gradually diminishes, as indicated at 84, and

reaches its maximum constriction at the bot tom of the screen 19 or at the lowest point in the grinding circle indicated at 85. From this point the space gradually increases until the lower end of the baffle plate 10 is reached when another constriction occurs by reason of the offset. relation of the said plate-10, the inner corrugated edge of which is spaced just beyond the cutting circle and concentric with the axis thereof.

lVhen material is ground finely enough it passes through the perforations of the screen 19 into the receiving compartment 20. A lateral feed screw or spiral .86 is mounted in the chamber 20 on the shaft 87, rotatable in suitable bearings 88, and the said screw is adapted to'feed the ground material through an opening 89 formed in one side casting into the blower fan housing 90 which serves to deliver the ground material from the mill.

The fan housing is closed by a removable cap 91 and as the said housing is formed integral with one side casting 1 a removable wear lining 92 may be provided in the said housing that may be conveniently replaced when worn to obviate the necessity of replacement of the whole casting because of wear of the blower fan housing. Y

The blower fan rotatable in the housing 90 is indicated at 93 and serves to deliver the ground material through the discharge neck 94 projecting from the housing into a suitabletake-ofl' ordelivery spout 95.

The feed screw and blower fan carrying shaft 87 is rotated through the medium of the driven pulley 96 and the belt 97 from a pulley 98 secured on one threaded end 44 of the main shaft 40.

The 'star plates 7 3 are held in suitably spacedv relation on the squared portion 41 of the shaft 40 by spacer sleeves 99, the said star plates and spacer sleeves being clamped to'position by the clamp collar 100 mounted on the threaded portions '42 oftliemain shaft. By reason of providing the front and rear bafiie platesand screen 19 and so positioning them correlatively to the grinding circle or orbitalcutting path of the grinder elements, the advance grinding action takes place'in a gradually decreasing area whichv suddenly increases after the maximum constriction is reached and again gradually decreases in area until the maximum and greatest constriction is reached at the extreme bottom of the cutting circle. This relationship between the screen and hammer provides for 40 coarser screen when desired;

' mum number of hammers that can be used is 32, which requires 50 horse power;

v what I term floating the screen and by the application of this principle or idea I find it possible to produce a far more conand be pushed or hammered through the-- screen, thus ruining it. Aside from the air entrance controlled by the flap 12, the only other entrance for. air is at 101 through the housing 31 beyond the met-al catching devices. in size that the air current drawn in therethrough is strong enough to suck in the materials to be ground, the metal bits or'other 'the'convenient'manner in which I mount foreign articles being too heavy to be drawn into the grinding chamber18 and falling into thebin 35 from which they may occasionally be removed through the hinged door 36.

In the grinding chamber the material is battered back and forth from the hammers to the stationary elements until it has reached the proper degree of fineness to pass through the screen. This action is thus termed'grind;

ing in suspension and because of this manner of grinding. and the passage of air constantly through the grinding chamber,'the material remains in a cool state which is very desirable and impossible of attainment in common types of roll mill operations. The degree of fineness of the ground material is governed by the,size of screen used and the speed of the machine. Obviously, because of the screen it is a very easy matter to remove a screen being used and substitute aifiner or The ability of the star hammer heads 80 to revolve permits centrifugal forceto act I in keepingthe heaviest part of the head,

which, of course, is the least worn part, at the outer edge and in contact with the work. Also, the ability of the hammer link-arms 77 to turn on their ends allowsv the hammer heads to pass over any large foreign sub--' stance in the mill by hingi'ng backward.

' 'Another point of advantage in a mill con- I structed as herein described is the. adap- Iners may be added in multiples of twoand" tability of the mill to operate satisfactorilyon any horse power from ten to fifty, simply by adding or removing the required number of hammersfrom the rotor 01'. grinder. The

hammer mounting means are such that'hamstill retain the perfect balance of the machine (speed 2500 to 3000 R. P. M.). The maxi- Reducingthe number of hammers, reduces the required horse power. Of course, the capacity of the mill is' cbrrespondingly reduced. The

This air intake 101 is" so regulated grinder. at the bottom.

point is, however, that other manufacturers of mills have to produce different size mills for various horse power and varied output capacities. The purchaser of the mill herein disclosed can first use say 25 horse power and as his biisiness justifies, increase his motive power up to 50 horse. power without furtherv expense except the addition of the necessary hammers. ii I j From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying draws ings, it is thought that the novel details of construction, themanner of use and the advantages of my invention-will ,be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates. I

i What I claim is: c

1. In a grinding mill, the combination with the rotating grin'der, of a housing for the said grinder comprising ascreen embracing the lower half of thegrinder, -a grinding plate tangentially. disposed relatively to said,

grinder and associated with one end of the screen, and a second grinding plate concentrio with the grinder and associated with the other end of the screen, said housing also ineluding an inlet throatlocated. above said grinding plates and grinder, the curvature of said screen being eccentrlc to and in excess of the path through which said grinder rotates, said screen being closest to the 2. In a grinding mill, thecombination with the rotating grinder, of a housmg for the 5 said grinder comprising a-screen embracing the lower half of the grinder, a grinding plate tangentially disposed relatively to said grinderand associated with one end 'of the screen, and a second grinding plate concentric with the grinder and associatedwith the other end of the screen, saidhousing also "including an inlet throat located above said grinding'plates' and gri'nder, the radius of curvature of said screen being eccentrlc to and in excess of the path through which said grinder rotates, said'screen being closest to of said screen forthe purposes specified.

3. In agrinding mill, grinding vvelements adapted totravel in anorbital path, front and rear baflie plates and a ground material passing screen cooperatively posltioned relatively to the grinding elements to assist in the grinding function, aihousing to' enclose the parts and provide-a grinding chamber and a receiving chamber divided by the screen, removable 'pans'by which access may be had a to one of the chambers, and means to removably mount the screen in a manner permittin its removal through the space normally closed by one 7 ofthe removable pans, said last named means comprising a hook edge atone screen end, and a bolting flange adapted to beremovably securedto one baflie plate. ad-

the grinder at'the bottom, said grinding 1 plates being offset inwardly from'theends jacent the space through which the said screen is to be removed.

4. In a grinding mill, grinding elements adapted to travel in an orbital path, front and rear bafile plates and a ground material passing screen cooperatively positioned relatively to the grinding elements to assist in the grinding function, a housing to-enclose the parts and provide a'grinding chamber and a receiving chamber divided by the screen, re movable pans by which access may be had to one of the chambers, one-of said pans including controllable means to admit a controlled amount of air into the housing.

5. In a grinding mill, grinding elements adapted to travel in an orbital path, front and rear baffle plates and a ground material passing screen cooperatively positioned relatively to the grinding elements to assist in the grinding function, a housing to enclose the parts and provide a grinding chamber and a receiving chamber divided by the screen, removable pans by which access may be had to one of the chambers, one of said pans being positioned correlatively to a portion of said screen to provide an air passing S] )LC, and an adjustable flap to control the amount of air admitted through said air passing space.

6. In a grinding mill, grinding elements adpated to travel in an orbital path, front and rear baffle plates and a ground material passing screen cooperatively positioned relatively to the grinding elements to assist in the grinding function, a housing to enclose the parts and provide a grinding chamber and a receiving chamber divided by the screen, removable pans by which access may be had to one of the chambers, one of said pans including controllable means to admit a controlled amount of air into the housing, said housing also including an inlet throat located above said plates and grinding elements, means adjacent the entrance to said throat to separate foreign matter from the material to be ground, and an air duct to admit air into the housing through said sepa rating means.

7. In a grinding mill, the combination with the rotating grinder, of a housing for the said grinder comprising a screen embracing the lower half of the grinder, a grinding plate tangentially disposed relatively to said grinder and associated with one end of the screen, and a second grinding plate concentrio with the grinder and associated with the other end of the screen, said housing also including aninlet throat located above said grinding plates and grinder, a receiving compartment in the housing beneath the screen, a delivery blower in the housing, a take-off spout connected to the blower, and a feed screw operable in the receiving compartment to feed the ground material to the blower, a casing to house the blower including a removable cover cap, and a removable wear liner encircling the blower.

8. In grinding mills, means to feed the material to be ground, comprising a feeding housing, a feeder head in the housing, a shaft on which the head is mounted, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, pawls to engage the ratchet wheel at approximately diametrically opposite points, link arms pivoted to the shaft at one of their ends and carrying the pawls at theirfree ends, a cross shaft, a crank on 'the cross shaft, a rocker arm, a link connecting the crank with the rocker arm to cause the arm to rock as the cross shaft rotates, a pivot pin on the rocker arm,means to adjust the pivot pin along the length of the rocker arm to vary its distance from the rocking center,,and a pair of link arms connected at one end to the pivot pin and each connected at its other endwith the pawl carrying end of one link arm for the purpose specified.

9. In grinding mills, a grinder comprising a shaft mountable for rotation, a pair of star plates mounted on the shaft in parallel spaced relation to rotate therewith, a plurality of carrier arms pivoted between the star plates and adapted to swing out radially when the shaft is rotated, and a parallel pair of starshaped grinding hammer heads pivoted to the free end of each carrier arm on a fixed axisatthe geometric center of the heads.

-10.-In grinding mills, a grinder comprising a shaft mountable for rotation, a plurality of pairs of star plates mounted on theshaft in parallel spaced relation to rotate therewith, a plurality of carrier arms pivoted between each pair of star plates and adapted to swing out radially when the shaft is rotated, and a parallel pair of star-shaped grinding hammer heads pivoted to the free end of each. carrier arm on a fixed axis, said shaft having a squared portion intermediately of its ends and a threaded portion at each squared portion end, said star plates having square apertures to fit the squared portion, spacer sleeves to properly space the star plates on the shaft squaredportion and clamp collars adjustable on said threaded portions to clamp the spacer sleeves and star plates in position.

11. In grinding mills, a screen comprising a cylindrical section, one side of which is bent inwardly to form a hook edge and the other side of whichis bent outwardly to constitute a flange, said flange having pro-visions by which it may be used in securing the screen 1 in place.

12. In grinding mills, the combination with the mill casing having a pair of arcuate shoulders at its sides, a transverse hook-like strip and a transverse flange, arylindrical segment screen having its ends resting against said shoulders, one side of said screen having a I hook-like edge to engage with said hook-like strip and the other side of said screen having a flange to engage with said transverse flange,

4 s and means connecting said flan 'curved plate and itself curved eccentric to' ges together to secure the screen in place. 1

13. In a grinding mill, grinding elements mounted to travel in an orbital path, a throat for delivering material to said elements above the. same, a straight plate arranged approximately tangential to said orbital path and extending from said throat to a place in horizontalalignment vwith the axis of said path,

acurved plate-extending from said throat to; a place in horizontal alignment withthe axis of said path diametrically opposite said straight plate and curved substantially concentric with said orbital path, and a screen located beneath said grinding elements and extending from said straight plate to said said orbital path and offset outwardly at its end from said plates. I

14. In a grinding mill, grinding elements mounted to travel in an orbital path, a throat for delivering material to said elements above the same, a straight plate arranged approximately tangential to said orbital path and extending from said throat to a place in horizontal alignment with the axis of said path, -a

curved plate extending from said throat to a place in horizontal alignment with the axis of said path diametrically opposite said straight plate and curved substantially -.con-

centric with said orbital path, and a screen located beneath said grinding elements and extending from said straight plate to said. curved plate and itself curved eccentric to said orbital path, said screen being spaced closest to said orbital path 'at the bottom.

15. In a grinding mill, grinding elements mounted to travel in an orbital path, a throat for delivering material to said elements above the same, a'straight plate arranged approximately tangential to said orbital path and extending from said throat to a place in horizontal alignment with the axis of said path, a.

curved plate extending from said throat to a place in horizontal alignment with the axis of f said path diametrically opposite said straight ary members associated with the traveling rindingelements, said stationary members 1n their position with respect to said orbital path gradually approaching said pathto a certain point, then being appreciably offset from said path and again gradually approaching said path to a minimum distance therefrom at another point.

17. In a grindingmill, grinding elements adapted to travel in an orbital path, stationary members associated with the traveling grinding elements, said stationary members in their position with respect to said orbital vpath gradually approaching said path to a certain point, then bein'gappreciably offset from said path and again gradually approachingsaid path to a minimum distance therefrom at another point, then gradually diverging from said minimum distance to a third pointin said orbital path, and a.corrugated baflie plate lying closely adjacent the orbit-a1 path and having'it's approach end ad- ,jacent said third point in said orbital path.

18. In a grindlng mill, grinding elements adapted to travelin an orbital path, stationary members associated with the traveling grinding elements, said stationary members in their position with respect to said orbital path gradually approaching said'pathto' a. certain point from a position above the axis of said path, then being appreciabl offset from said path and again gradua 'ly' approaching said path to a minimum distance therefrom at the path. v

19.111 a grinding mill, grindin elements adapted to travel in an orbital pat stationarynmembers associated with the traveling gr ding elements, said stationary members in their position with respect .to saidorbital path graduall approachlng said path to a certain point rom a position above the axis of said path, thenv being appreciably offset lowest point in said orbital proaching said path to. a minimum distance therefrom at the lowest point in said; orbital c path, said stat-ionary members including a from said path and again gradually apground material passing screen associated with said 0 of.

20. In a grinding adapted to travel in an orbital path, front and rbital path beneath the axis thererear bafile plates an d' a ground material passing screen associated with the traveling grinding elements, said front bafiie plate in' its. position with respect to said orbital path gradually approaching said path to adjacent one end of said screen, said screen being there offset from said orbital path an appreciable distance and then graduallyiap'proaching said,

path :to' a minimum distance therefrom, the other end of said screen terminating adjacent said rear baffle plate, andsaidscreen being removably carried by said bafl'le plates. WILLIAM-ALEXANDER SEYMOUR.

,i oj. mill, grindingelements v 

